Clamping device



Feb. 20, 1934. BURKHARDT 1,948,329

CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 9, 1930 Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES CLAMPING DEVICE Chandos Burkhardt, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application October 9, 1930. Serial No. 487,469

10 Claims.

This invention relates to clamping devices, and more particularly to devices which are adapted to clamp and support an article such as the bag of a suction cleaner. It is common practice to use a bag to separate the dust from the air drawn through a suction cleaner, and to support the upper end of the bag from a handle which is pivoted to the body of the cleaner, it being also common practice to form the bag with an open upper end so that the dirt collected therein may be readily removed.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device for effectively clamping the upper end of the bag so as to prevent any leakage of dust-laden air. A further object is to provide a device for this purpose which may be readily connected to the bag and to the handle or other object to support the bag, and which will avoid all danger of accidental separation of the parts. Still further objects are the provision of such a device which may be economically manufactured, by which a powerful clamping action may be obtained with slight effort, and which will be durable and reliable in operation.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification describing an embodiment of the invention which is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a structure embodying the invention and shown in clamping relation;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the structure shown in Fig. l, and showing the parts in open position;

Fig. 3 is a View in end elevation;

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical cross section taken on the center of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View in horizontal cross section, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawing, the body of the device consists of plate members l1 and 12 which are hinged together at their upper edges, by a hinge pin 13, and suitable means for clamping together the lower edges of these plate members, The plate members 11 and l2, in the present embodiment, are preferably bent slightly, as shown at 14., to provide ample space therebetween to receive the upper end of a suction cleaner bag l5, and the clamp operating device comprises an operating member 16 in the form of a bail by which the device as a whole and the upper end of the bag 15 may be detachably connected to a hook 17 which is supported by the handle of the suction cleaner or by any other suitable support.

The plate members 11 and 12 are preferably identical in construction and have hinge tabs 18 curled about the hinge pin 13, their lower edges being curled inwardly to form continuous circular beads 19 and 20 respectively. A link member 21, preferably formed of wire is pivotally mounted in the bead 19 of plate member 11, and is of U-shape, having side portions extending from its base portion to form parallel arms 22 and 23 which are spaced outwardly from the ends of the plate members and which have short inturned ends 24 and 25. As shown in Fig. 5, the base portion of member 21 may be held from displacement lengthwise in the bead 19 by forming a circular groove 26 in the wire and indenting the metal of the bead into such groove, as indicated at 2'7.

The operating member of the clamp, as stated heretofore, is formed as a supporting bail, preferably of wire. Adjacent its lower ends loops 28 and 29 are formed to receive and pivot upon the inturned ends 24 and 25, respectively, of the U-shaped link member 22. Beyond the loops 28 and 29, the lower ends of the operating member are turned inwardly at 3l) and 31, and pivotally engaged within the ends of the bead 20 of plate member 12, and the side portions 32 and 33 of the operating bail 16 are preferably parallel and spaced sufficiently and of such length as to receive the plate member between them, as shown in Fig. 1. It will be apparent that as the operating member 16 is swung upwardly'from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the plates 11 and 12 will be swung together, the side portions 32 and 33 acting as bell-crank or bent levers, and the force applied to the operating member 16 being multiplied many times, particularly as the parts approach closed position, when the pivot portions 30 and 31 are in line between the base of the link member 21 and the end portions 24 and 25 of such member which are pivoted in the loops 28 and 29.

The operating member 16 may be suitably reinforced, if desired, by a triangular plate 34 of sheet metal having edges 35 curled over straight portions of the Wire, and a catch for preventing accidental opening of the clamp may be provided by forming a tab 36 on the plate 34 which is bent to one side of the plane of the plate and then bent back through such plane, the end of the tab being adapted to engage the upper end of the plate 12 to limit the closing movement of the operating member. It will be understood that the resilience of the operating member is sufficient to permit the loop of the tab 36 to snap over the hinged upper ends of the plates 11 and 12.

The upper central portion of the operating member 16 is formed with a hook-receiving projection 37, the top of which is straight except for a central upwardly-extending bend 38. The plate 34 is cut away, as shown, to prevent an edge 39 substantially parallel to the straight portion of the projection 37. As shown in Fig. 4, the hook 17, attached to a iiexible tape or other supporting member 40, may be engaged downwardly over the projection 87 and swung about it to the position shown in Fig. l, but the width of the 'space between the edge 39 of the plate and the hook receiving projection 37 is such as to preclude engagement or disengagement of the parts when they are in any other relative position, so that accidental separation is prevented.

It will be apparent that'the clamping device thus provided will be positive in its action and may be readily operated to and from clamping position. The operating member 16 likewise serves as a supporting bail and consequently the tension of the parts tends to hold the Vparts in clamping relation, so that the spring detent may be such as to be easily operated, or may even-be dispensed with if desired. While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various departures from such structure may be made within the scope of the invention which is dened in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clamping device, comprising a U-shaped member having a base and side arms, and an operating member having parallel bent lever portions at its ends and a portion connecting the corresponding ends of said lever portions, the other ends of said lever portions being pivotally connected to the free ends of the side arms oi' said U-shaped member, and said operating member having a portion extending from the bend of one of said lever portions and perpendicular to the plane of said lever portion.

2. A clamping device, comprising a U-shaped member having a base and parallel side arms, and a second member having a straight portion extending parallel to the base of said U-shaped member and lever arms arranged perpendicular to said portion and pivotally connected at their free ends to the free ends of the side arms of said U-shaped membenthe bodyof said second member being of bail form whereby the arms of said second member may be swung to force said straight portion toward the base of said U-shaped member.

3. A clamping device, comprising a pair of plate members hinged together, link arms pivoted to one of said plate members and comprising parallel arms7 an operating member comprising a pair of bent levers pivotally connected attheir bends to the` other of said plate members and having arms pivotally connected at their free ends to the free ends of said link arms.

4. A clamping device, comprising a pair of plate membershinged together at their upper edges, link arms pivoted to the lower edge of one of said plate members, and operating means pivoted to the lower edge of the other of said plate members and having offset portions pivotally connected to said link arms at a distance from the pivot line of said link arms which is greater than the effective length of said oiset portions.

5. A clamping device, comprising a pair of plate members hinged together at their upper edges, link arms pivoted to the lower edge of one of said plate members, an operating member pivoted to said link arms and to the lower edge of the other of said plate members to force the edges of said plate members toward each other to clamp an object therebetween, and means carried by said operating member for limiting its movementtoward clamping position.

6. A clamping device, comprising a pair of plate members hinged together at their upper edges, separate link arms pivoted to the lower edge of one of said plate members, and having free ends, and an operating member having a portion movable into position between the free ends of said link arms and the lower edge of the other of said plate members and pivoted to such free ends to force the edges of said plate members toward and from each other to clamp an object therebetween, said operating member and one of said plate members having portions adapted to be resiliently engaged to hold the parts in clamping position.

'2. A clamping device, comprising a pair of plates hinged together at their upper edges, a U-shaped member having its base pivoted to one of said plate members and parallel arms adjacent the ends of said plate member, and an operating member of wire having its ends pivoted to the other of said plate members and having loops adjacent said pivoted portions to which the ends of said arms are pivoted, the body portion of said operating member constituting a bail of at least as great length and width as said plates.

8. A clamping and supporting device, comprising a pair of similar plate members hinged together at their upper edges, link means pivotally engaging one of said plate members, and means pivotally connected to the other of said plate members and cooperating with said link means to clamp said plate members together comprising a fiat U-shaped supporting bail enclosing and in substantially the same plane as said plates when said plates are clamped together.

9. A clamping device, comprising a pair of rigid members hinged together, link arms pivoted to the ends of one of said members, and a U-shaped operating member of wire having its side portions pivoted at an intermediate point thereof to the other of said members and having their ends pivotally engaged with the ends of said link arms, the end portions of said side arms between such pivot points being movable substantially into the plane determined by the points of pivotal connection of the parts to said rigid members.

l0. A clamping and supporting device, comprising a pair of plate members hinged together at their upper edges, and means for clamping together the lower edges of said plate members comprising a U-shaped operating handle portion pivoted to one of said plate members and of greater height and width than said plates, said handle portion enclosing and in substantially the same plane as said plate members when said plate members are clamped together.

CHANDOS BURKHARDT. 

